Migrants from the state of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, have organized in California’s Central Valley to recreate their hometowns’ patron saints’ festivals on this side of the border. The organizers seek to offer a celebration that in addition to professing Catholic faith, promotes the traditions of each town. On December 27th, immigrants from the Zapotec town of Coatecas Altas organized their sixth annual festival in Madera, California. The townspeople honor St. John the Evangelist with a mass, followed by a traditional dance with giant figures called “marmotas”. Juan Santiago, who is from Coatecas Altas and was one of the first organizers of this event, brings us this story from this year’s Fiesta del Pueblo. This feature is part of our series “Raíces: Stories About Grassroots Artists.”

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